HC issues show cause notice to Traffic Police, Delhi government on plying of e-rickshaws

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court issued show cause notices to the Traffic Police and the Transport Department as to why contempt proceedings not be initiated against them for not taking action against e-rickshaws which are plying despite a ban on them.

The court expressed surprise that e-rickshaws are still running "with impunity" in the national capital despite the September 9, 2014 order restraining them from plying and suggested that the vehicles be seized and their tyres deflated.

"Issue show cause notice to Respondent 2 (Anil Shukla, Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic)) and 3 (Satish Mathur, Transport Commissioner, Government of Delhi) on why contempt action be not initiated against them. Response be filed in four weeks. List on December 18," Justice V K Shali said.

The judge said that as per pictures submitted by petitioner Shahnawaz Khan, e-rickshaws were plying on different dates earlier and even now and the police are not taking any action against them.

The court also observed that most of the e-rickshaws are plying in Chandni Chowk area.

Advocate Zubeda Begum, appearing for the respondents which also included Police Commissioner Bhimsen Bassi, said that a draft notification on permitting plying of e-rickshaws has been issued on October 8 by the Transport Ministry and objections against the same have been invited.

The final notification will be issued soon, she told the court.

The order came on Shahnawaz's contempt plea, filed through advocate Sugrive Dubey, alleging that e-rcikshaws are continuing to operate in violation of the court's September 9 direction.

The high court had on September 9 held that its ban on plying of e-rickshaws in the national capital will continue as they are illegal as per existing laws.